Chinese EV sales surge to new high in Europe putting tariffs under scrutiny

Imports this year now account for 14% of the market amid claims vehicles are being dumped in the EU and UK Chinese electric car sales have risen across Europe to a record high driven by strong demand and low tariffs in the UK and a surge in buyers in Italy. Against a backdrop of claims that Chinese carmakers are “dumping” state-subsidised vehicles in the EU and UK to gain market share, the figures will give impetus to calls for quotas and higher tariffs to protect European manufacturers. The share of electric cars sold by Chinese brands rose to 14.2% across western European markets – or one in every seven battery electric vehicles (BEVs) – in the first five months of this year, according to Schmidt Automotive Research. The 171,800 sales represented an increase in market share of nearly five percentage points versus the same period in 2025. Brands including BYD, Chery, SAIC and Xpeng have targeted Europe for exports, as the Chinese industry seeks to dominate the global electric vehicle market. This has put traditional European manufacturers under intense pressure when tougher emissions rules are forcing them to increase their own BEV sales. The increase in European sales comes despi